How Nursing Interventions can Alleviate the Patient’s Anxiety 2024

Hospitals can serve as a source of anxiety for some patients. Most people associate visiting a healthcare facility with a negative experience in their life. When a patient visits a hospital and sees healthcare providers, it can trigger anxiety in people with white coat syndrome. Whatever the reason is, nursing interventions can effectively reduce patients’ anxiety.

Here are 11 nursing interventions that can alleviate patient’s anxiety

1. Assessment of Anxiety

Nurses can assess anxiety during initial evaluation or with the help of an anxiety scale. By looking for facial expressions and physical signs and symptoms of anxiety, nurses can assess the anxious patient. Nurses can check the vital signs of the patient in case the patient is not cooperative. 

2. Clarifying to Patient Reasons for Admission

Clarifying to the patients the reason for their admission will cause them to openly discuss their expectations, thereby helping avoid misconceptions and alleviate anxiety in patients. The nurse should use simple language and speak to the level the patients will understand. Also, explain any scheduled procedures, new medication and any unforeseen changes to the patients and avoid surprising scenes.

3. Showing Empathy 

The nurse should recognise the patient’s own beliefs and prejudices. Nurses always have beliefs about how patients can or should act or not act in particular circumstances, either conscious or unconscious. But the fact is that the nurses shouldn’t decide how someone else can behave or not behave until you’ve been in the position yourself. Place yourself in their shoes as far as possible.

4. Effective Communication.

Nurses can start an open conversation with patients and allow the patient to ask questions. Greet the patient and their family with great respect and introduce yourself to them. Many patients feel anxious in the hospital, mainly because they are unfamiliar with the place and the procedures. To help them, nurses can explain each and everything to them.

Nurses can explain the diagnosis and treatment plan to them in simple terms so that they understand what is happening. Nurses can guide the patient on what they should expect after any medication or medical procedure. This way, the patient will feel relaxed and at home.

Nurses may also use culturally sensitive humour and encouraging laughter to produce a friendly environment for patients.

5. Active Listening.

Nurses should let their patients be heard. It will give patients great relief. Nurses should be empathetic and patient while listening to their patients. Nurses should consider their questions and concerns and effectively answer them. Nurses can ask open-ended questions about how they are feeling. If they need anything? etc.

6. Helping Patients to Relax. 

Nurses can tell the patients some relaxing techniques to reduce anxiety, such as breathing techniques. Nurses can ask the patient to breathe in from the nose and breathe out from the mouth as it will help them to relax.

Nurses can dim the lights of the surroundings so that patients can feel relaxed and try to sleep.

Nurses can ask the visitor or family members of the patient to step out and let the patient relax for some time. Arrange a blanket or a cup of tea for the patient if they need it.

7. Using Music or Aromatherapy.

Nurses can use music or aromatherapy as a relaxation technique for patients. Different research studies have shown that using music or aromatherapy can help to reduce stress and anxiety in patients. Music and aromatherapy can produce positive vibes around the patient. While playing music, nurses should consider the rest of the other patients as well.

8. Allowing Visitation.

Visitation from family members and close relatives is very important to the patients. Nurses should allow visitation so that they can see their family members and feel better. This way, the patients can speak their hearts out with their family members and spend quality time, helping them to alleviate anxiety. 

9. Medication.

In some cases, nurses may offer the patient some anxiolytic medications. This intervention is mostly used in preoperative scenarios. Patients are asked in preoperative interviews about anxiety so that relevant medications can be added to their treatment plan.

Patients have the right to be anxious because being admitted to the hospital can be terrifying. 

As a result, a nurse must learn to manage anxiety in both themselves and others, especially patients. As a result, it is a skill that a nurse should have for the rest of their career, not just during times of transition.

10. Routine hourly coordination

For nurses to intervene in reducing the patient’s anxiety, it is critical to tell the patients that you will be checking on them every hour or make them aware of routine care coordination.

 Informing the patient and/or family members that you will be checking in or performing a ward round on them every hour to verify that everything is in order makes them happier and calmer.

Clarify the plan of care to the patient, including medication regimens, repositioning, and day/night procedures. Introduce the arriving nurse and reassure the patient that they will be in good hands throughout the handover.

11. Patients’ Active participation in Their Care 

Giving nervous patients the opportunity to have a role in their treatment might be beneficial. As a result, it is critical to listen to what the patients have to say.

Most patients just want to know that you are paying attention to their issues and that you are prepared to take action. When you spend all day talking to patients and rarely asking them how they’re feeling or discussing their treatment plan. The patient will be concerned.

Open-ended queries such as “how are you feeling?” or “is there anything I can do to make you feel more at ease?” Learn to reassure them and let the patient believe that you understand their pain.

Conclusion

A nurse is typically the first person a patient may confide in before any family members or physicians. A nurse’s duties include giving comfort and calm to patients and their families during trying times.

As a result, even though professional duties in nursing sometimes seem to favour unrelated side concerns, nurses occasionally find themselves acting as close friends to their patients.

Additionally, it’s critical for nurses to treat patients with respect and empathy at all times. Nurses who notice their patients’ stated emotions and treat them with respect are likely to increase patient satisfaction.